Dayton Drops Pawlenty Directive On Immigration

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton won’t revive a directive from his Republican predecessor requiring the state to participate in enforcing federal immigration law, a spokeswoman told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Spokeswoman Katie Tinucci said the Democratic governor decided against continuing or revamping the 2008 executive order from former Gov. Tim Pawlenty because it wasn’t necessary. The directive, which expired last week, had required state cooperation with federal authorities in areas such as customs enforcement and fraudulent documents.

Dayton said cooperation and coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement against criminals, including illegal immigrants, will continue without a gubernatorial order in effect.

“I think it was basically a political stunt on his part,” Dayton said, referring to the former governor.

Pawlenty, now exploring a presidential campaign, made headlines when he announced the executive order and related immigration proposals as part of a get-tough approach toward illegal immigration three years ago. He said at the time that the state needed to do more to enforce immigration laws.

The order required state agencies for public safety, corrections and commerce to work with federal officials by cross-designating state agents to enforce immigration and customs law, combing the prison population to identify illegal immigrants and participating in efforts to uncover document fraud, gang activity and child predators.

Rep. Tony Cornish, who serves as police chief in Lake Crystal and heads a House public safety panel, said Dayton’s lack of action sends a clear signal.

“As soon as you take emphasis away from something, it lets everybody in the state know that you don’t care, and I think that’s why we have a problem with immigration,” said Cornish, R-Good Thunder.

Public Safety Commissioner Ramona Dohman said the state’s relationship with federal authorities is better than it’s been in years.

“We didn’t need the executive order to continue the partnerships and relationships we had going with our federal partners,” she said.

Pawlenty’s order led to cross-designation immigration law enforcement training for a state trooper and an agent from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Dohman said. The trooper works with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on fraudulent documents, while the BCA agent works on human trafficking and related issues. Dohman said she has no plans to send more state agents for the training, but the expiration of the executive order wouldn’t prevent her from doing so.

The state also has cancelled more than 6,000 driver’s licenses after reviewing its database of photos for potentially fraudulent duplicates and ruling out cases with other explanations, said Public Safety Department spokesman Doug Neville. The review could be done by the end of the year.

Tinucci said Dayton consulted with Dohman, legal counsel and advocates for immigrants as he weighed whether to keep all or parts of the order.

Among those he spoke with was state Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, DFL-Minneapolis, who praised Dayton for dropping the directive. She said immigrant communities saw it as a political move by Pawlenty as he built a national profile.

“We’re still questioning why Pawlenty did that. We think that it was for — you know, he was planning to run for president,” she said.

Dohman, the former Maple Grove police chief, said local law enforcement agencies cooperate with any federal agency that needs help. She said local work with ICE tends to focus on investigations, not sweeps or raids.

Minneapolis and St. Paul have ordinances that prevent local police from asking about immigration status. Cornish said he plans to hold a hearing on a bill that would prohibit cities from limiting immigration inquiries by law and information sharing with federal authorities, even though he acknowledged Dayton would likely veto the legislation.

I think every time a cop has to question someone for a legitimate reason citizenship should be checked no matter who you are. As an American born white man If I get stopped for jay walking near the university while wearing a full outfit of university clothing I should have to prove I am a citizen with a simple drivers license or other ID or immigration papers or whatever. If you can’t do that then you should get sent to immigration. This wouldn’t cost any more money than we are spending now since it would simply be a quick check for every law violation and it would be a fair way of checking citizenship without profiling since you wouldn’t be allowed to stop someone specifically to check immigration status.

A driver’s license does not prove you are a US citzen, in order to prove that you were a US citzen you would need to carry around your birth certificate or passport. So next time you get pulled over make sure you have your birth certificate in your car or you could be sent to jail. Sounds pretty unreasonable to me.

In Minnesota, you are right. But here in Florida as a new comer from MN, (with a valid snd current Min DL) I am required to; 1) Produce eather a current US passport or “Official” birth certificate and, 2) Proof of residency for the last 3-6 mos by producing utility bills addressed to me, for the specific address claimed and, 3) a valid other state (Minn.) government issued pictured id or DL. And yes indeed a FL drivers lic proves that you are a citizen or LEGAL imagrant. MN shouild tighten their requirements also.

Not too bad we had the state with the 5th highest tax rate and they want more. We also have the state with one of the best free welfare programs for whomever(Mexican – Somali – Hmong – Vietnamiese – Middle Eastern -Asian) folks who just show up illegally or legally. Not that we don’t have enough white or African American folks doing the same thing.
Send all the illegals back and get the deadbeats off our welfare and tax supporting rolls. Then there might be enough for potholes and stadiums and social security.

Before you start your comments, you should check into the facts… if you are not a US Citizen or Legal status, you can’t apply for welfare… I know that cause I went to apply for medical assistant, and my driver’s license wasn’t enough to prove my legal status, they wanted to see my birth certificate or US Passport… so please, do some research and then talk

Wow, Amanda, arrogance and ignorance all in one package…talk about a clueless wonder… they have found away around the law thanks to liberals…they cost us $30,000 each/year…check the state funding for them…it id $300+ Million Dollars. You want to help the ILLEGALS (what don’t you understand about illegal). You want to give them money… give them YOURS …stop stealing mine to give to the illegal rats!

WOW Cache… and you know this because you heard it on TV from Michelle Bachmann ot Tim Pawlenty??? or any other republican for that matter…. I am sure they have found ways to have a birth certificate or a US Passport… I am sure… same way they cost, they also give, don’t focus on the cost, focus, on Hispanics are the ones that spend the most and always in cash… so they also pay taxes, like everyone else does, they consume products in the states, or what you don’t think they pay rent, buy food and are overall consumers???

Oh, SURE THEY DO. They also pack 10 or more in a 2 bedroom apartment, send BILLIONS of dollars OUT of this country EACH month, never to be seen again, bring in dope and criminals, export cash and guns. Yeah, a great industry to support, completely illegitimate.

And yes I would like to help anyone… cause i am a caring human being… and if we help Somalians that they really live off welfare and all of those programs, did you know that every Somalian gets 2000 dollars when they come here??? where do you think that money comes from??? your pocket as well, so I say get them deported as well

for starters on what they buy… and then on restaurants, and then on services, like cell phones and stuff, and last on earning, oh yeah they do, because like everyone else, taxes get deducted from your paycheck

I don’t care about all the sob stories(whether is it any nationality) especially ‘lay on the back” welfare queens who pop out illegal brats to get my money…out and out theft. Your NOT a caring human being you are a plane and simple thief. Welfare has to be changed to WORKFARE..No work NO money…No free rides for the lazy and slothful or what ever their sob story is-especially no lifetime ride 3 years MAX! You want to help GIVE them YOUR money…no one is stopping you …but keep your mitts off mine and others who do not get to decide; WE have a better place for our own money… WE worked for it not the Rats!

WOW… you did not even read my posting did you? I actually think it is a true statement NO work, No Help… But we are not the ones that pick and choose who does welfare goes too… I am only making a point that at least in the State of MN if you are not legal, you don’t qualify for welfare…

The form I have in front of me says “You do not have to give us your immigration information if you are applying for emergency medical care only, or living in the US without the knowledge or approval of the USCIS and are pregnant.”

Take your own advice, Amanda. If you think there aren’t THOUSANDS of illegal immigrants getting free (paid for) housing, health care, medical, child care, food stamps AND money through the welfare system, then you are not only incredibly naive but massively uninformed. Take your head out of the sand and do the research.

ladyjasmin50- Why don’t you advocate throwing employers in jail who are employing people, illegally? Now that is a plan that would work…

PS. Since 1982, Social Security has been running a surplus: Tax receipts and interest payments have exceeded benefit payments and administrative expenditures each year. Contrary to what the right wing radio rants, before the financial crisis and recession, Social Security was running a surplus each year of up to $150 billion and more, giving a total of $2.6 trillion dollars, or $2,600,000,000,000. Once Social Security begins to draw on its Treasury Notes saved up from previous budget surplusses, it will be able to continue its operations as before until the Treasury Notes dry up around 2041 or 2052, according to two predictions (by the Social Security Administration and the Congressional Budget Office, respectively).

Total nonsense you are delusional and liar…Only 2% of the illegals pick crops it is very very small group. The rest of the illegals are stealing us blind and are costing us $billion nation wide…get out NOW…you are not welcome…beat the rush! The ‘only’ reason you are still here is because of the corrupt business owners and crooked politicians. It is not because We americans want you here. If your legal …Yes…if not …NO! You are so corrupt and bent… you cannot understand that.

Do you even consider that some of these people you speak of are here legally or do you lump all the tan people together? Do you ponder that you’re also tossing in american citizens? The oldest continuously occupied city in this country was founded by a Spaniard so the Spanish, ergo, Hispanics, have been in the US for nearly 500 years.

Cache
Unless you have ANY proof of what you claim it is pretty hollow to just call someone else a liar. Either give your own facts or shut up. This is not a conversation but a personal attack and you have no right to tell someone that they have no idea what they are talking about until you prove that you know what you are talking about.
Amanda
I see what you are saying and understand your point. The others posting about you must not have read your original post or are just too dumb to be able to have the info sink in. Sorry that the jackals are nipping at you just because you put a fact down for people to view.
As to all the other idiots talking about Mexicans abusing the welfare system I would ask you to look into your own family. Everyone has the “Jerry Springer” people somewhere in it (maybe you have to go to 6th cousin or something, but it is there) maybe you should look at your facts as well. There are people of every color and nationality that abuse ANYTHING. There will always be a “back door” to these things and it is not Amanda’s fault. Write your congressman if you want that to change. No amount of attacks on a person posting on WCCO is going to change this and people have just as much right as you do to post these things so you are going against the freedoms that you say you are trying to uphold by attacking another’s views. GROW UP!!!

Amanda, I can’t believe your racist attitude, Are you calling illegals “mugwarts” and yourself an “eloy”? are you saying that the only thing an illegal is good for is making sure you don’t have to take a menial job? What job do you think our young citizens should do? If we allow illegals can they also be the cream of the crop with educations who can take, ah say,, your job. How about an illegal in public office? Maybe Governor, you need to ask yourself should there be a limit? How about all of Latin America? No problem to pay for?

Amanda, I would like to chime in on your comment about we would not have this and that without illegal Mexicans. That could not be further from the truth. I have a co-worker who used to make six figures per year roofing houses, he now makes half that simply because the criminal aliens (mostly Mexican’s in the roofing industry) came here and offered to do that job for less than half what he was being paid. He eventually came to the realization that busting his back for less than half of what he was making before they showed up simply was not worth it. So he got out of the roofing business. So the correct phrase you need to be spewing about is “Mexican’s are here doing the jobs that American’s won’t do for that little of pay” Imagine our workforce and economy if legal citizens in this country were being paid a decent wage for these types of jobs like they used to be, before this influx of illegals came in and undercut them all simply because they are here illegally and cannot demand that same pay and because half that pay is triple what they can make in their own poor excuse for a country.

I’m not surprised, Democrats will take illegal votes anytime. Bus people from precinct to precinct and have schills waiting there to swear they live next door to them, etc, etc. No blow is too low for the liberals in their drive for power at all costs.

Wow. Hitler. Really? Couldn’t you have started with a Ghengis Khan, worked your way up to Idi Amin, and maybe tossed around a Pol Pot and Mussolini first? I suppose you can use an elephant gun to shoot a rabbit, but you won’t have much of a stew afterward.

And idiots (notice how I did not point out a political affiliation as this has nothing to do with anything) will say anything as long as it would make them seem like they know what they are talking about. There is a general rule of thumb that the person that points the finger first and blames others is the one that caused the problem. Blaming one party or the other solves nothing, it just proves that you are a bigot with a (supposed) soap box.

And I’m guessing you have some type of proof of this Kevin. If so, why haven’t you gone to the authorities with this information? I worked as a poll watcher in the last election along side a poll watcher from the republican party and we witnessed no such thing. Pleqase come forward like a man Kevin with whatever proof you have of voter fraud by either party!

Ya know I was wrong when I said Dayton had lost all his marbles and then remarked he had one left rattling around in his thick skull…Nope this fools skull is solid…a real Bonehead. This arrogant loser has decided pick and choose which laws to abide by and has sided with “illegals” against Minnesotans. This misguided fool and his ilk STEAL money from us to GIVE to these outlaws.

Cache
You are 1 of the biggest idiots EVER!!! Did you even read the story? He is throwing this out because it was just an add on law that TPaw put in for his name to get in the papers. The police in MN already have to enforce these laws and it has nothing to do with him “letting” illegal’s do whatever they want. PLEASE WCCO, make an adult blog and 1 for these stupid little kids. People like this are the reason we should be dumping money into public schools. You must just be mad because the people that come here from the 3rd world countries still have a higher education level than you. Hate it or love it, Dayton is Gov now, just shut up until the next election and then you may have a chance to change this, until then what are you accomplishing other than showing how stupid you are?
You and uisty Shackle should team up and start your own blog so that the rest of us do not have to sift through all this BS.

He is governor…not dictator…he works for us. He does not have Carte Blanche. He is supposed to listen to us. We are the government. Winning elections doesn’t mean citizens do not have input…one does not shut up till the next election …moron. Does one roll over and let lobbyists only get to have sway over politicians. Wake up fool and get involved. Politics is an ongoing everyday activity. What an ignorant maroon…borne out by the drivel you, other of your ilk and Amanda spout.

We have an ‘off his meds’ ignoramus sell out in the Governors mansion he has decided which laws to uphold and has sold us Citizens out for illegals. Government is stealing my money to give to the illegals. You want to give them money and feel good about yourself…Do It! But don’t steal my money and force me to contribute. Plus take their sob stories and sell it somewhere else..they break our laws by consciously breaking into our country and then they steal, rape, rob, and murder us then have the gaul to demand free hospitalization, schools, room and board…give me break one could NEVER do that in their rat hole of a country.

Cache
You say “we are working on it and it will happen”, who is we? You do not sound like you have anything to do with the government and I really hope you don’t, so are you saying that in a general phrase or is this more info from pretend land. Remember to put on your nike’s and drink the punch because the comet is coming for you soon.

I’l tell you who…Mr. Know it all…many states and many in the this state like minnesota immigration reform (minnsir.com) i.e. Georgia Legislature Passes new Tough Immigration Bill. “Continuing” the nation-wide movement to do something about immigration enforcement, the Georgia Legislature has passed a tough bill which now awaits the expected signature of Governor Deal. Arizona has new law Missouri has and old law, Oklahoma and more states are moving to halt ILLEGALS…Obumbler has his own corrupt agenda…2012 soon!

Without Mexicans or other illegals we could get all the welfare people working and paying taxes. It would lower unemployment. And I DO wish they would throw employers in jail who hire knowingly illegals.

And just a note – I am for replacing Monday night football with prime time exections of convicted(beyond a doubt) criminals who are on death row.
Now their would be some good TV ratings.

Numerous States have already seen the reprehensible illegal immigrant inheritance, that Utah will become a beneficiary of as economic families move there. If other States don’t pass policing laws similar to Arizona, they too will end up with overcrowded schools and hospital like the refuge State of California and Nevada. Florida hasn’t made up its mind yet, so it’s population better start pressing their legislators to herald laws similar to Arizona? They too will be paying the penalty of uncontrollable welfare payments to illegal families. What an absolute travesty our immigration laws are? Each administration has refused to seal the borders for years, when by making illegal entry into the United States a felony would have brought most of this issue to an abrupt stop. That Americans are forced by law to educate, assemble free health care and even give individuals a warm cell, where they get free wholesome meals a day in prison. They steal our less educated US American workers jobs, lower our wages and use fraudulent ID and Social security numbers to rob old folk, homeless, of public benefits.

How many of working Americans are blind to Contractors employing illegal aliens for roofing jobs, landscaping and paying them under the proverbial table? How many honest contractors that was in the construction industry 15 years ago, couldn’t under bid business as they were using illegal workers, so they had to file bankruptcy or lose their companies. This is a nationwide epidemic that affects all Americans, seeing the financial consequence, so we should take it upon them to notify ICE as whistle blowers. What we need is a illegal immigration nationwide program that undertakes to inform ICE, that illegal immigrants are employed, in a job any US citizen or resident can do?

The pro-sovereignty organization of (FAIR) says the federal government pays out a 113 billion a year, to cater to them. Then billions of dollars more are paid out on the State and county level entitlements, while $40 billion dollars leave the country annually in lost revenue. A. The federal government projection of the 12 million illegal aliens settled here is a fallacy; the population is around 20 plus million. This is all propaganda spread by Liberal progressives for years, which included the open border crazies and ethnocentrism groups. IF you want to alter the path that our America is going, we should become united with the TEA PARTY. Away from the Republican elites, Democratic and Leftist instigators and join the millions of Conservative moderates in the TEA PARTY. They are the only Caucus that will shrink our, bulbous government spending extravaganza and make the federalist relinquish their hold demanding continuous higher taxes. It’s a court order from the liberal party to force taxpayers, to maintain the children of illegal immigration education and for the whole family free health care.

Our Medicare goes to the senior adults, but Medicaid is appropriated by the millions of illegal aliens who slipped past the Border Patrol or overstayed expired visas. The TEA PARTY agenda is to enforce National Security and defend America, from enemies Domestic and foreign. We will build the real fence(s) across our frontier, complete with concertina razor wire and the deployment of National Guard troops, with orders to use force if threatened. In the interior of our nation the mandatory operation of E-Verify, with the backing of Secure Communities and other federal and State policing tools Sweeping Nationwide audits to apprehend businesses that snub the law and hire illegal aliens. There will not be any arrest and release for anybody who lives here illegally, and we will deny any foreign aid to any country that will not take back their unauthorized migrants or immigrants. Nobody expected the TEA Party become a National contender for the American people’s rights, since the people were frustrated with our gutless leaders. The New caucus intends to claim that the Administration puts a cap on the 14 Trillion dollar deficit and inhibit the spending of money we don’t have any more.

Remember the TEA PARTY will dispose of any new amnesties, including so-called Immigration reform, Sanctuary States, Chain Migration, The dream act or any underhand way of passing any more AMNESTIES.

In other words we cannot trust either party to tell the American people the Truth. IN 2012 we must enforce the Grand party with new injection of TEA PARTY candidates, otherwise the future for our families are at financial risk. NOT FOR ONE MINUTE THINK THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU? IT COULD BE YOUR JOB NEXT?

SURE WE SHOULD JOIN THEM SO THEY CAN MAKE A WHITE AMERICA AGAIN… NO OTHER RACES, NO OTHER CULTURES… GREAT INFO OF WHAT THE TEA PARTY WANTS YOU TO KNOW… I FAIL TO SEE HOW MUCH MONEY THIS ILLEGALS SPEND HERE… HOW MUCH OF A REVENUE THEY GENERATE, THAT IS WHY UTAH IS NOT DUMB, THEY WANT THE REVENUE FOR THEIR HOME STATE… AND AGAIN, MOST PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWERS, ONLY A FEW LEADERS, THAT IS WHY THEY GO AND START REPEATING WHAT THEY TELL YOU AND THEN EVEN MAKE YOU BELIEVE IT… KEEP ON DREAMING, KEEP ON DREAMING

I agree with some of what you’re saying, I certainly do not align myself with the Tea Party. Hoping to see a valid Independent contender for the 2012 race. Definitely not a fan of the democrats, and these days Republicans are just democrat-light.

Wowee, lots of ignorance and hate posted here. Not all Hispanics are Mexican. Hispanic just means of Spanish descent. Cameron Diaz is Hispanic and American. She’s a Chicana. Gov. Bill Richardson, he’s a Chicano. Amerian and Hispanic – those two words are not exclusive of each other. Not all Hispanic immigrants are illegal. A fact few of you even consider. Myth -illegals don’t vote. As a state that borders Canada, why are few people wondering if we have a few Canucks here illegally?

If pawlenty was serious about this issue,other than for his own political recognition, maybe he should have taken it a bit more serious. He was to busy going and doing things for his own personal interest.

Unbelievably sad and horrible what is in the minds of so-called MN Nice people. To think this is what walks besides me is scary. Like a true psych experiment. Republicans feed on fear and hatred. God help us.

I agree Lori. Its so disgusting to see the seeds of hatred that the right has been sowing coming home to roost, right here in Minnesota. It used to be that you could at least have a civil conversation with people from this state. One based on facts, and not false, generic talking points…. But I can see that only my fellow liberals are interested in purveying facts to support their comments… and the righties just like to use insults, fear, and regurgitated scare tactics to make their “points”. And I use the term “points” loosely, since not so many are actually being made. Rather, you are just mostly reinforcing the stereotype that you are mindless, thoughtless drones who repeat what you hear on the 700 Club or Celebrity Apprentice…Without ever concerning yourselves about whether or not its right.

I find it very funny that people are always spewing their ignorance and hate toward people who may or may not be in this country “legally”. The one thing that these “illegals” have in common is their skin tone. None appear to be anglo-saxon.

I’d also like to know which jobs immigrants are taking away from people. The last time I saw someone who appeared to be of immigrant status working, they were doing a job I refuse to do outside of my home. I clean my toilet only. I do my own landscaping because I want a nice yard, not because I need to feed my family.

I have yet to see a rash of “illegals” taking jobs at the top. Even if they were to do it, it would be about time for there to be some diversity at the upper echelon.

It would be nice to extract your head from your hind parts and understand that we’re all on the same planet and the only divisions are man made.

Fortunately, God isn’t stupid. I’d have to go off world if God were at all like human beings. Hate fixes nothing. There are more than enough resources on this planet for each of us.

Hmm said:” This wouldn’t cost any more money than we are spending now since it would simply be a quick check for every law violation and it would be a fair way of checking citizenship without profiling…”
This wouldn’t cost any more money? Do you think the police want to be checking this every time they pull someone over for speeding or “jay walking”? And what if someone were here illegally? They would have to arrest them. That’s more time spent by the police, the courts, city and state employees. That isn’t cheap last time I checked. I would rather the police deal with real criminals, not people who come here to better themselves and their families – regardless of how they got here.

Could someone please explain to me WHY a drivers licence doesnt prove citizenship …when I had to go get mine I needed 3 forms of ID to get it one being a birth certificate…are there special licences for ppl that dont have one?